All the Time in the World
by AdminEmmaWeasley
Summary: It's third year and Hermione has a secret on top of a secret...


"You mustn't let anyone see you," McGonagall told her sternly. Hermione nodded seriously, but she already knew who she would be seeing. With taking every subject under the sun, she knew that she would need to relax sometimes in order to stay sane. But she spent every waking moment with Ron and Harry - two Hermione's would really mess things up.

Draco Malfoy had apologised to her just before the summer holidays between their second and third years - albeit secretly - for insulting her. For the first time, quite by accident, she had looked him straight in the eyes. Instead of brushing off his apology as she intended, she had found herself graciously accepting it. He had smiled at her before slithering back to his slimey friends. She had stood there for a good minute or so, smiling stupidly at the place where he had been.

He had written to her the day after she got home, saying again how sorry he was and that he would like to be friends. They had written to each other throughout the summer and had indeed become very good friends. It had been Hermione that begged for their friendship to be a secret; she just knew that Ron and Harry would never approve.

So now, as Professor McGonagall handed her the Timeturner, she knew that she had found a way to see Draco without anyone knowing. Of course, he would have to be alone, but no-one would know that she was with him, because she would be somewhere else, too.

Yes, it was quite confusing.

She took the beautiful golden necklace from McGonagall and put it around her neck before tucking the golden ball of it into her jumper.

"Good luck, Miss Granger," McGonagall said with a hint of a smile, before dismissing her.

Dear Draco,

Meet me in the Owlery during dinner tomorrow. I have something I need to tell you.

Hermione.

Hermione tied the tiny peice of parchment to one of the Hogwart's owl and told it to take it to Draco straight away. She knew that he would still be in his dorm, unpacking.

She was right. She got a reply about five minutes later.

Hermione,

I'll be there.

Draco

Hermione smiled to herself before hopping down the stairs and heading to the Gryffindor common room to unpack.

"What took you so long?" Ron asked when she walked in.

"Sorry, had a couple of things to discuss with Professor McGonagall," Hermione said truthfully. She did, really. Of course, if they knew she'd stopped by the owlery, they would want to know why, and then she would either have to tell them the truth or lie. She didn't want to do either.

Harry raised an eyebrow, but Ron accepted it.

"What did I miss?"

"Harry gave his first autograph," Ron said with a smirk. Harry prodded him in the ribs as Hermione smiled. "What? You did," Ron said to Harry, still smirking.

"I don't even know why they'd want one from me," Harry mumbled modestly, scraping the toe of his shoe across the carpet.

Ron rolled his eyes and told Harry that he was going to unpack. The new Gryffindors were staring Harry as if he were a three-headed dog. Hermione chuckled to herself. Fluffy really was quite lovely, as long as you had a musical instrument with you.

Hermione told the boys that she was going to unpack, too, and that she would probably go straight to bed afterwards.

"Fair enough," Harry said with a yawn of his own. "Night, Hermione."

"Night, 'Mione."

She smiled to herself as she ran up the stairs. She just knew that she would dream about Draco tonight.

The next evening, Hermione excused herself from dinner and told Ron and Harry that she would meet them in the common room. They looked at her curiously, but didn't say anything. She scuttled to the owlery, suddenly feeling nervous. She stopped a few feet from the door, took the Timeturner out of her jacket and turned the golden ball once. A couple of people whizzed past, but luckily, when it all stopped, there was no-one. Shaking slightly, she continued up the last few steps.

There he stood. He staring out the window, fiddling with his green and silver tie. He looked so handsome in the moonlight.

Hermione gulped, and whispered, "Hi."

He turned and looked into her eyes. Both of them started grinning, and he said, "Hi."

Hermione foud that she had suddenly forgotten everything. All she could think was, _Merlin, he's even more handsome than he was last year._

Draco had moved a bit closer. "What did you want to tell me?" He asked softly, still smiling.

Hermione opened her mouth, but no words came out. She blinked a few times, then showed him the Timeturner. His eyes widened, and he reached out a hand to touch it. "My father told me about these," he said quietly. "It's a Timeturner, isn't it?"

Hermione, still unable to talk, nodded.

His smile widened, and with a twinkle in his eye, he asked, "Did you use this to come here and meet me?" Another nod. He chuckled softly and, taking her hand, led her to a secret doorway. "We've got all the time in the world. No-one will interrupt us in here."

She stared at him. "What?"

"So, you've found your voice."

She blushed as he smiled softly. They sat and talked for an hour before Hermione reluctantly told him that she had to go.

"When can I see you again?" He asked. Hermione shrugged. "How about tomorrow during dinner?"

Hermione smiled and nodded. Draco got up, kissed her cheek softly, and disappeared.

This carried on every evening for a month. After he got "attacked" by Buckbeak, she even plucked up the courage to mock him for making such a big deal about it. He just laughed it off. Whenever Hermione told Draco she had to leave, he would get up, kiss her softly on the cheek, and go. Every time, it left Hermione standing there, smiling stupidly at the place where he had been standing. It would take her about a minute to move.

_I wonder if this is what love feels like?_

Hermione froze. Where did that come from?

_You, silly._

Hermione shook her head. She was not going to have an arguement with herself. She had enough arguements with Ron as it was. Besides, what a ridiculuous thing to think. She was only thirteen. She couldn't possibly be in love. _Oh, really?_

She sighed. What if she was in love? With Draco Malfoy...? no. No, no, no. She couldn't be. She was betraying her friends just by being friends with him. She couldn't possibly fall for him. It would be too much.

A couple of evenings later, she asked Draco, "What are we?" He looked at her, obviously confused. She gave a small laugh. "I mean, are we friends?"

"Of course," he answered quickly, "unless..." His smile vanished. "Unless you don't to be... I mean, if you don't, I totally understand..."

"No," she cut in. "Of course I want to be friends with you, it's just..." She looked away, blushing. She could feel his gaze on her. She played with her frizzy hair.

Then she felt a hand touch hers. She looked at Draco, who was gently pulling her hand away from her hair.

"Do..." He gulped. "Do you... want to be more?"

Her eyes widened, but she found herself nodding.

He smiled, then leaned forward and softly brushed his lips against hers.

Another month went by, and instead of kissing her on the cheek every evening, he would kiss her lightly on the lips. It always left her giddy with happiness.

When the workload was starting to become very heavy, Draco offered to help her. She didn't want to say yes - she felt that it was cheating - but he insisted that he would do little things, like testing her on a subject she wasn't sure about or reading out quotes that she wanted to write down. She even allowed him to write a few lines here and there. Well, he didn't write them - their handwriting was very different - but whenever she got stuck, he would say a few lines to get her going again. She had to admit that he helped an awful lot just by doing that.

"Hermione?" He whispered one evening.

"Yes?"

"Would you laugh if I told you that I think I''m on love with you?"

She smiled in wonder at him. "No," she breathed before kissing him. It wasn't like the light kisses he gave her - it was long and passionate. She flung her arms around his neck, and he slid his arms around her waist.

She had never felt this kind of happiness before. She felt slightly light-headed every time she thought of him. Every time she saw him waiting in the owlery for her, her heart would jump. Every time he kissed her, she forgot about everything.

He just had to go and ruin it.

As soon as Hagrid told her, Ron and Harry that Beakbuck was to be executed, she felt as if she could explode with rage. How could he do this to her? She thought he cared... Well, obviously he didn't. She ignored him from then on.

"'Mione," Ron whispered to her during lunch one day.

"Yes, Ronald?"

"Malfoy's staring at you."

Hermione felt her jaw jut forward in determination.

"He looks...sad," Ron continued with shock.

Hermione stared at the open textbook in front of her. "So?"

"I just... I think it's weird."

"Yes, it is weird."

Ron, Harry and Hermione sat in the common room. This was the day that Buckbeak was going to be... Hermione shook her head. She didn't want to think about it. It made her want to cry and scream and punch something. Well, someone.

"We should go to Hagrid's," Ron said suddenly. Harry and Hermione stared at him. "We should be there for him."

Hermione didn't want to see what was going to happen. But she had to agree with Ron. Hagrid needed them. It seemed that Harry agreed, too.

As they walked through the castle, Harry said, "I still can't believe Malfoy had the nerve to have them do this."

Hermione's rage started boiling up inside her again, but she didn't say anything.

Then they stepped outside and saw him, waiting there with his two burly minions.

She had never felt so furious in her life. The mere sight of him lit a fire in her stomach. She marched up to him and told him exactly what she thought of him now. "You! You foul, loathsome, _evil_ little _cockroach_!" She pointed her wand at his throat, her mind racing through all the spells she could use to make him suffer.

Then she heard Ron's voice tell her that he wasn't worth it. She glared at him, but knew that Ronald was right. She lowered her wand and turned away.

_No,_ she thought.

She turned back around, balled her fist, and punched him in the nose. He flopped to the ground, his two henchmen immediately at his side. He took one hurt look at her and bolted, his stooges on his tail.

"That felt good," Hermione breathed, grinning.

"Not good - brilliant!" Ron said. At the moment, she knew - it was Ron. Ron was the one for her. Not Draco. Because even with all the time in the world, her and Draco could never work it out.


End file.
